Germany’s REWE Group has closed its financial year 2021 with what it described as ‘strong’ sales growth of approximately €2 billion, amid challenges associated with the pandemic.
Excluding independent retailers and at-equity companies, group turnover from continuing operations increased by 2.5% (+2.4% on a currency-adjusted basis) to €69.4 billion, from €67.7 billion in 2020.
In Germany, the company witnessed turnover growth of 1.2% to €47.2 billion. In international markets, turnover increased by 5.5% (+5.2% on a currency-adjusted basis) to €22.2 billion.
EBITDA amounted to €4.4 billion, up from €4.3 billion in 2020.
Lionel Souque, CEO of the REWE Group, said, "We are very satisfied with the strong economic development of our retail and tourism company at home and abroad.
"Unfortunately, the past year was also marked by numerous burdens caused by the corona pandemic.[…] It is all the more gratifying that we were not only able to maintain the extraordinarily strong growth in sales in the food trade in 2020, both in Germany and in our European foreign markets but in some cases even increased them again.”
Divisional Performance
In Germany, overall retail sales, including REWE branches and the wholesale with merchants and other partners, increased by 0.9% to €26.7 billion.
Total sales in its international division rose by 2.6% (+2.2% on a currency-adjusted basis) to €10 billion.
In 2021, the company divested Billa Russia and it now operates supermarkets and drugstores in Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Croatia and Lithuania.
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The company reported a 2.3% increase in sales in Austria, to €7 billion, through the Billa, Bipa and Adeg banners.
Across the CEE region, sales grew by 3.2% (adjusted for exchange rate effects by 2%) to €3.1 billion.
In Germany, sales at discount chain Penny remained flat at €8 billion on a year-on-year basis.
However, the discount banner saw sales growth of 1.8% (+ 1.6% on a currency-adjusted basis) to €5.6 billion in Italy, Austria, Hungary, Romania and the Czech Republic.
In the convenience segment, Lekkerland Group reported growth of 4.4% to €13.7 billion across its national and international divisions.
© 2022 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
